Improvement in compositions for coating photograph-pictures



HENRY HAPPEL, OF NEW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMPOSITIONS FOR COATING PHOTOGRAPH-PICTURES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 113,426, dated April 4, 1871.

To all whom it may concern.- I

Be it known that I, HENRY HAPPEL, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Compound for Improving the Effect of Photographic Pictures; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a compound made of a solution of shellac or other gum in alcohol, and mixed with anilinered or other pigment, in such a manner that when a photographic picture is coated with this compound a certain lively appearance is imparted. to the same, and its effect is materially improved.

Positive photographic pictures, whether taken on metal plates or any other surface, are usually covered by a varnish, so as to protect the picture against the influence of the air and of dirt, and of other matter which, when brought in direct contact with said picture, wouldhave a tendency to injure the same. The varnishes generally used for this purpose by photographers have the tendency to darken the light portions of the picture, and to impart to said picture a death-like appearance, and thereby the artistical effect of the same is impaired,

This disadvantage I have succeeded in obviating by mixing with the varnish or lacquer a small quantity of a pigment, such as aniline'red, which readily dissolves in the liquid forming the vehicle of the lacquer; and by applying the lacquer thus prepared to a photographic picture it will be found that a certain lively appearance is imparted to saidpicture, and its effect is materially improved.

The proportion in which the pigment is mixed with the lacquer must be determined by experience, and in some cases blue or other pigments may be used instead of red; but on ordinary photographic pictures I have obtained the best result by preparing a lacquer of purified shellac dissolved in alcohol, and mixing therewith a small quantity of anilinered, which readily dissolves in alcohol, and

can therefore be easily introduced in said lacherein described.

HENRY HAPPEL. Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER 

